WONDER TWINS: Twin brothers Kellen and Connor Jones have combined for 80 points for Quinnipiac, ranked seventh in both polls. They trail only freshman linemate Sam Anas (43 points) for the team lead. (The Bobcats' Clifton brothers are both freshmen but aren't twins.)

A NEW GOALIE: Sophomore Michael Garteig picked up where Hobey Baker finalist Eric Hartzell left off last year, notching a .912 save percentage and 1.94 goals-against average for Quinnipiac.

WELCOME BACK: Providence, ranked 10th in both polls, is back in the NCAA tournament for the first time in 13 years. Newtown's Peter Zingoni was a freshman on that team. The Friars' deepest run was a trip to the final in 1985, a team captained by Tim Army (now a Colorado Avalanche assistant coach whose son, Derek, is a senior on this year's team) and coached by future Bridgeport Sound Tigers coach Steve Stirling.

-- MICHAEL FORNABAIO

Union vs. Vermont

WHEN: Friday, 2 p.m.

WHAT: East Regional semifinals

WHERE: Webster Bank Arena (8,525), Bridgeport

RECORDS: Union 28-6-4, ECAC; Vermont 20-14-3, Hockey East

HISTORY: Union 4th appearance (Lost East Regional final to Quinnipiac in 2013); Vermont 6th appearance (Lost West Regional semifinal to Wisconsin in 2010)

UP NEXT: Winner advances to Saturday's regional final at 3 p.m. against Quinnipiac/Providence winner.

Story lines

LEADING THE WAY: Union is ranked No. 1 in the USCHO poll for the first time in its 23 years as a Division I program. The Dutchmen, who won their third straight ECAC tournament title, earned 31 of 50 first-place votes. After spending 15 weeks ranked in the top 10, they leapfrogged Minnesota following the Gophers' loss in the Big Ten semifinals.

FAMILIAR FOE: Prior to taking over as Vermont's head coach in 2004, Kevin Sneddon held a similar position for Union from 1999 to 2003. He was also an assistant with the Dutchmen for four years, beginning in 1995.

DOMINANT D-MAN: Union junior defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere is one of 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Award, given to college hockey's best player. The 2012 third-round pick of the Philadelphia Flyers is the only defenseman in the group. He's a graduate of the South Kent School in Connecticut.

HELLO AGAIN: The last time Vermont (2009) and Union (2012) reached the Frozen Four, they each did so out of the Bridgeport regional.